By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a dark, rainy morning with a temperature 0f 53 (F)  12 (C)

I wasn’t surprised when I checked the north end of Seneca Towers top window ledge and found nobody on it as I figured Billie and Seth were taking cover from the rain somewhere. However, I did find Seth on the south end top window ledge as I was about to exit my parking lot.

About a minute later he crouched down as they do when another falcon is approaching and started chirping just like Dot.ca (DC) as Billie flew in to join him.

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I wasn’t going to stay out too long because of the rain as the falcons don’t do much in wet conditions so I moved along to check downtown. When I didn’t see anyone from the Andrews St. bridge I went straight over to the Radisson Hotel to check the OCSR elevator shaft-DC was on the north side ledge eating.

The rain was coming down pretty good at that point so I put my window up and left to search for Beauty. From Woodbury Blvd. I spotted her on the south side of HSBC near the southeast corner with her back to me.

I went over to Chestnut St. by the Martin Luther King Jr. park for a closer look but the rain was blowing at me thru the window getting my camera much too wet for my liking.

So I left there and went to the Strong Museum of Play parking lot where I could position my car to better block the sideways rain from coming right at me.

In my travels I didn’t see any prey birds out and about so I figured the Beautyful one would be up there for a while until an opportunity to catch something presented itself. I left for Irondequoit to look for Big Frank at the Medley Centre-no luck there so I went home where I found Buffalo Billie and Seth still on the top south window ledge. I bid them farewell and ended my watch at 8:30am smiling after a wet but successful watch in which I saw all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the link below to see my short snippet movie from this mornings watch

https://youtu.be/PwXkx7-qRWw

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a cool start with a temperature of 53 (F) 12 (C) but once the sun rose it warmed up quickly

I dedicate this watch report to the victims of the World Trade Center attack 14 years ago and their loved ones

Billie and Seth were on the top north window ledge as I started the day with their backs to me. I couldn’t tell who was who this morning.

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Arriving on the Andrews St. bridge at 7am I found Beauty on the bottom arm of the Frontier Communications Tower (FCT) and Dot.ca (DC) on the base of Mercury eating.

First I went over to the City Hall parking lot to see Beauty then I drove to the Broad St. bridge to join DC as he ate his breakfast.

It took DC about 10 minutes to finish up and then he turned around and went to the other side of the green base to start cleaning up.

DC made the preys’ feathers fly when he flew down to the northeast corner of the base to finish feaking before he flew off to the north at around 7:25am.

I found Beauty to still be on the FCT arm so I stayed with her as I parked in the City Hall lot again. She napped a little, preened and stretched.

She turned around to face the south so I went down Fitzhugh St. near Church St. to continue observing her. The Beautyful one didn’t stay facing me for long, so when she turned her back to me I left to look for DC in the OCSR elevator shaft.

He wasn’t there or anywhere else that I could find him. While I was on the Andrews St. bridge I saw Beauty fly from FCT heading southeast in a hurry. I lost track of her as a big truck passed me blocking my view momentarily. I wasn’t able to find another falcon either downtown , at the Medley Centre or Seneca Towers thus ending my watch at 9:10am. It was a successful watch as I saw our 4 resident Peregrine Falcons and that’s always good enough to make me smile! 🙂

As always click on the links below to see today’s videos

https://youtu.be/n-DFPDxkAi0

https://youtu.be/yWF74PrOoN0

https://youtu.be/qOHdX4S0HMA

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

What a difference a day makes.  From 90+ degrees, hot, hazy and humid, to 70 degrees and no humidity at all.  Such a welcome change.

This morning I was meeting an old friend for breakfast near the Medley Ctr.  So, I made sure that I got there a little early so I could hopefully find a falcon at the mall.  Not only did I find a falcon there, but I found fellow watcher Dana already on the scene.  I joined her watching Big Frank on the white vent cap on the carousel roof for about 15 minute before I had to leave. (8:10 am)

After breakfast, at 10:45 am, I went back to the mall and found Big Frank on the same spot, but no Dana.

Big Frank (BF) took off, heading east, low over the mall roof.  I drove around to the north side and found Dana there.  She had seen BF fly low over the roof and down towards the east end.  We drove around and Dana was the first to find her over a doorway on the east end of the mall.  Larry joined us and was happy to meet Big Frank for the first time.  🙂

While we were watching Big Frank, she was watching the sparrows in the bushes and trees below her.  Finally, she spread her wings and took off at 12:08 pm, flying low over us heading east.  Dana and I drove around attempting to find Big Frank, but we never did.

I decided to head downtown and found Dot.ca up inside the OCSR elevator shaft on the south side ledge. (1:20 pm)

I drove around looking for Beauty.  From the Andrews St Bridge, I spotted a falcon on the Frontier Communication Tower, 2nd arm.

I was just getting ready to head over to get a closer look at this falcon when I heard a juvie vocalizing.  The falcon on FCT took off heading south, then a falcon came back and landed on FCT below the platform.  A 2nd one flew by and the FCT falcon took off after it.  They were talon tagging and flying off to the west.  I did drive over to the west side of the city to look, but could not find them.  The talon tagging did not look very aggressive.

A quick check of the OCSR elevator shaft, Dot.ca was gone.  Back to the Andrews St Bridge.  From there, I could see Dot.ca at the Powers Bldg nest box.

He only stayed there for a few moments.  I kept watch for another 1/2 hour, but did not see any more falcons.  All was quiet.

Here are some pictures from my Monday, September 7th watch.

It was a very warm day, near 90 degrees (F).  I found Beauty on the gorge wall cooling down in the spray from the High Falls.

At the Medley Center, Big Frank was hunkered down on the white vent cap on top of the carousel roof.  There were a lot of pigeons flying around and landing on the building and light poles.  It was like watching a cat ready to pounce on all the pigeons that flew by.  You can see why a Peregrine Falcon would choose this area for its’ hunting ground.

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a much more comfortable morning with way less humidity, mostly cloudy overcast skies and a temperature of  62 (F) 17 (C)

Seth was all by himself on the north end top window at Seneca Towers when I started my watch this morning.

When I arrived on the Andrews St. bridge(ASB))at705am Beauty was on the middle arm of the Frontier Communications tower (FCT). I drove over to the City Hall parking lot for a closer view as she preened and looked around her surroundings.

At 7:33am I heard chirping as Beauty flew off to the south side of FCT. Dot.ca (DC)came in with prey and as I went down to Fitzhugh St. in front of the Sister Cities parking garage I could see Beauty on the southwest cube and DC on the beam with prey. He soon walked over to the southeast cube with it.

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DC seemed to be having trouble handling the prey.  He fiddled around with it, pooped, then turned around and flew off to the southeast. Less than a minute later Beauty flew the same direction around 7:40am.

I followed suit and found Beauty on the base of Mercury. She took off soon after I arrived on Bank Place where it meets Aqueduct St. in the hole. I watched her go after a gull above the Phillipone building then fly north above State St.

Next I spotted DC on the east side top railing of the Powers building from the ASB. I went to Corinthian St. across from the Powers building for a closer look.

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After a minute or so DC flew off behind the railing out of view. I don’t know if he went to the nest box or not from my vantage point but when I went back to the City Hall parking lot where I could see the nest box it looked like Beauty was out in front of it and then she disappeared.

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I decided to go over to the ASB for a better view in the nest box and while I was stuck in traffic I watched DC fly from near Powers to the south corner top I-beam of OCSR. I bypassed the ASB and went to the hole where I could be somewhat closer to DC.

After a couple minutes DC walked a few feet down the west side of the I-beam. Around this time Carol tweeted that she and Dana had an adult falcon on the carousel roof vent cap at the Medley Centre.

It was around 8:20am as I got a message from Donna that Beauty was back on the southwest cube of FCT so I left DC to confirm. Thanks! Sure enough she was there when I got over to Fitzhugh St.

I left her after a brief stay to head for home. As I was crossing the Veteran’s Memorial bridge I spotted Billie on the west side railing and Seth on the top north end window ledge of Seneca Towers. I went to my spot on East Ridge Rd. to take a couple pics of Seth before heading over to my spot on Seth Green Dr. to check out Billie real quick.

I ended my watch at 9am with a smile after seeing our 4 Rochester Peregrine Falcons! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

https://youtu.be/KsvMrCxSIH8

https://youtu.be/c9fnC4Uqwk4

https://youtu.be/tJu2HNUmr30

https://youtu.be/J-VfkOBG5KQ

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The day started at 75 (F) 24 (C) degrees which is the average high around here this time of year! It was a bit muggy but not as much as the past few days with clear skies

The Seneca Towers pair were once again on the north end top window to greet me as I started my watch. Today they were both preening so I spent a little more time with them than usual as they aren’t too active first thing in the morning.

While I was taping a video of them Seth tried to catch a bee-they are very hyper right now as they prepare for hibernation in the coming weeks. They have been swarming every falcon I’ve seen lately.

On my way downtown I came across an unbanded adult falcon on the railing by the nest box at the Kodak Hawkeye (HE) plant. I believe this was the same one I saw there this past Monday.

He flew off to the south at 6:54am about the same time Shaky tweeted that a falcon was on the Powers building near the nest box. I went further down St. Paul St. across from Avenue D where I watched the HE falcon hunt everything that was in the air. He ended up stooping behind some houses past Avenue A out of sight and I never saw him again.

Onward to downtown where I spotted Dot.ca (DC) under the northeast wing of Times Square (TSB) and Beauty with her back to me on the east side railing of the Powers building as I was stopped at the traffic light of Clinton Ave. and Broad St.

As I crossed the Broad St. bridge I didn’t see Beauty any more so I went down to Basin St. in the hole to watch DC around 7:30am. He was looking over the area quite earnestly for a breakfast item to catch as his crop was empty.

Cam watcher Donna reported that Beauty was near the nest box on the Powers building. Thanks much! I had to go to the back of the City Hall parking lot to see her and I could also see DC over on TS as well from there.

While I was taping a video, both Beauty and DC flew off and right about that time a worker from Frontier stopped to chat with me. During this time I lost track of the falcons. I think DC and Beauty both visited in the nest box, although I didn’t see DC exit so I can’t be sure. I did see the Beautyful one go in and come back out.

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Beauty left the Powers building just before 8am and flew to the TSB coming to rest under the northeast wing where DC had been earlier. I think the fact that they were both on their nest building is encouraging that they will choose t=it over the Powers nest. Crossing my fingers!

I watched her from Basin St. in the hole as she kept track of the area until 8:10am when she spread her wings and flew off to the northeast.

I wasn’t able to find Beauty or DC again and I saw no falcons at Hawkeye, Seneca Towers or the Medley Centre. I ended my watch at 9:15am after seeing all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons and a bonus unbanded one to keep me smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/NgHcf0Pjvuc

http://youtu.be/EotQICScmZE

http://youtu.be/jtBnaMqiQ_8

http://youtu.be/5c5cGlTWYX8

http://youtu.be/A5WykMJWoe0

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

A balmy 71 (F) 22 (C) and once again humid with a hazy sky

Billie and Seth started my day again as they were perched on the top north end window ledge of Seneca Towers. They showed a little sign of life a couple of times but for the most part remained pretty motionless as they usually are first thing in the morning.

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I arrived downtown on the Andrews St. bridge just around 7am where I spotted Dot.ca (DC) on the northeast corner of the Kodak Office (KO) playpen netting (a favorite spot of his to hunt from). I went down to State and Platt St. to hang out with him as he was scoping out his kingdom. He lost his balance once and caught himself by spreading out his wings.

I left his whiteness to look for Beauty and I found her near the northeast corner of City Place from State St. on my second trip around. I arrived at the Hochstein School of Music parking lot where I’m friends with the parking attendant around 7:35am. He lets me park by his booth while the parking lot fills up with paying customers, so I’m out of the way. He told me that there had been a lot of noise out of the falcons this morning so perhaps a juvie was involved.

The Beautyful one stayed up there with her back to me for 30 minutes looking to and fro, then she flew east at 7:55am. I love how the sun illuminated her.

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I would drive around searching for the next 40 minutes and in my travels I saw a falcon briefly on the east side top railing of the Powers building while I was stopped at the traffic light at Main and State St. It was gone when I found a spot to stop and check it out. I then saw a falcon at the base of Mercury with what looked like prey from the Andrews St. bridge but again, it left before I could get to the Broad St. bridge for a closer look.

I wasn’t able to locate any more falcons downtown so I left for the Medley Centre hoping to catch Big Frank but for the third day in a row I missed him. However, after my second trip around the mall an unbanded juvie showed up on the glass peak over the carousel. This juvie looked a lot like Sellie from Seneca Towers to me but there’s no way of proving it.

It was definitely a male juvie and I shared space with him for only 5-10 minutes before he took off to the west in the direction of Seneca Towers and the river. I lost sight of him as he went beyond the Target store that’s next door to the Medley Centre.

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That’s all she wrote as I drove home smiling thinking that I had just saw one of Billie and Seths’ kids one more time! 🙂

Click on the links below to view today’s videos

http://youtu.be/Qk3KUEDmzMI

http://youtu.be/RJdMnPXdTHM

http://youtu.be/wMCzuxRvtaw

http://youtu.be/CjP5PJko5CM

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

The starting temperature this morning was 69 (F) 21 (C) with bright blue skies and sunshine

I started my Labor day in the company of Billie and Seth who were on the north end of Seneca Towers across from each other on the top window ledge.

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Nothing new there but as I made my way down St. Paul St. toward downtown I spotted a falcon on the north end of Kodak’s defunct Hawkeye (HE) plant. I pulled into the parking lot across from HE to check out who this might be. At first it looked dark in the front but different angles showed that it was not so dark.

There was a flock of small birds that flew below this unbanded, and based on size a male (tiercel). He started looking down and then dove off straight down swooping back and forth before stopping.

He didn’t resurface so I drove over to the driveway for the Rochester School for the Deaf where I found him on a guardrail behind a chain link fence on the HE property.

He jumped down to the pavement and proceeded to walk over to a half eaten mourning dove (at the time I thought it was a pigeon). On the video I taped you can see many, many bees buzzing around him.

I think he would have started eating right there had it not been for the bees. He soon took off with his food heading out over the river gorge out of view. It was 7am when Larry tweeted from the Andrews St. bridge (ASB) that he had a falcon at the Powers building nest.

I figure it must have been a migrating bird as I left for downtown. From the ASB I spotted a falcon on the northeast cube and east side platform railing of the Frontier Communications tower (FCT).

While I tweeted it out the railing bird left and as I looked south over the river I saw 2 falcons flying southeast. One just past the Radisson Hotel and the other behind the Federal building. Beauty was most likely one of them and the other might have been an intruder or a juvie-no way of telling. I left to check the FCT falcon and found that it was Dot.ca (DC). After reviewing my pic on the computer screen I believe it was Beauty on the railing.

Larry reported seeing a falcon at 7:13am from the Broad St. bridge fly from Times Square northwest and then he and Harold came to the Hochstein School of Music parking lot to join me for a few minutes. Larry decided to head home but said he would check the Xerox area which is the direction Beauty and the other falcon were flying. I took a couple more pics of DC, who had walked to the corner of the cube, then headed that way myself.

No sightings on the east side and when I returned to FCT, DC was gone and the Beautyful one was just flying in from the southeast. She landed on the top arm at approximately 7:45am.

Beauty did a little preening but she was in hunt mode and kept looking below her. While I was taping her she dove off the arm and when she resurfaced she was chasing 3 pigeons. Beauty was unsuccessful in catching any of them and then she flew north toward Kodak Office (KO).

I headed north and from Verona St. on the west side of KO, I spotted Beauty up on the northwest corner of the launchpad.

It was starting to heat up so I left Beauty for Irondequoit to check the Medley Centre. I didn’t find Big Frank or any other falcons there or on the way over. I ended my watch a little after 9am with a smile after seeing all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons and a bonus visitor at Hawkeye! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/oQ1ZxOfAoyU

http://youtu.be/94gloS3y6NM

http://youtu.be/_XTSiKkzPj4

http://youtu.be/nSUcROWHxKE

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was 71 (F) 22 (C) with a breeze and  hazy skies

My watch started out with Billie and Seth at the north end of Seneca Towers-them on the top window ledge and me in the back of the parking lot. I often wonder if they roost there at night or just meet up in the morning.

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So after checking on them I headed downtown. As I was on the Andrews St. bridge I saw a falcon on the Kodak Office launchpad but by the time I got over there it was gone. I checked all the usual spots and it wasn’t until I got over on Woodbury Blvd. around 7am on the east side of the river that I found both Beauty and Dot.ca (DC) on one of the southeast corners of Legacy Tower (LT) previously known as Bausch&Lomb).

I drove around the corner to Clinton Ave. and parked in front of Frontier. DC decided to move up a little higher while I was driving over there.

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Beauty flew off at 7:17am, DC right behind her as they circled the building a couple times. DC flew north and Beauty landed on a southwest corner of LT then immediately flew north as well.

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I headed north myself and found the Beautyful one on the northeast cube of the Frontier Communications tower.

She did a little preening and looking around as she stand perched up there. I was parked in the Hochstein School of Music parking lot.

Beauty walked over to the south end of the cube after she was done preening and started closing her eyes so I left her to look for DC whom I never did find again.

I left downtown for Medley Centre but there was no Big Frank or any other falcon there. I also checked St. Ann’s Home and Rochester General Hospital on my way home-nothing seen at either location. There also were no falcons in sight at Seneca Towers so I ended my watch at 9am. I saw all 4 resident Rochester Peregrine Falcons on watch so I was smiling! 🙂

Click on the links below to see today’s videos

http://youtu.be/a6GzUsvZwVk

http://youtu.be/9C__P-CnP60

http://youtu.be/5nfQFt2Pqd0

http://youtu.be/2AZCz_ZBdZU

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.

11:00 am t0 2:30 pm

Very hot and humid with temps in the mid-80’s.

Kathy O and I arrived at the Medley Center at 11:00 am.  We circled the mall and ended up on the north side with no falcon sightings.  It was already well into the 80’s and very humid.  About 15 minutes after we arrived, a falcon flew over the mall and low over the north side parking lot.  The gulls that had been gathered there screamed and took off as quickly as they could. But they were no match for the Peregrine flying through them.

Down went the falcon, landing on the parking lot out of our view.  We moved closer.  The falcon was up in the air again, chasing the gulls and diving on them.  It continued to gain altitude. Higher and higher and further to the west.  We saw the falcon pass St. Ann’s and fly down into the tree line beyond it.  We waited to see if it would return.

About 5 minutes passed and we saw a falcon coming back towards us with a large bird grasped in its’ talons.  The falcon flew to the south side of the mall, so that’s where we headed.  We found the falcon with a pigeon on the corner of the brick building just west of the carousel bldg.

For over an hour (11:30 am to 12:40 pm), the falcon ate, filling its’ crop.  I was determined to proof that this was Big Frank. Finally, as the falcon finished eating and took off, I was able to see the black over black band on the left leg and no band on the right leg.  It was Big Frank (BF).

Here are some pictures that I took while BF ate on the Medley Ctr Bldg.

Kathy and I believe that Big Frank is a female, based on size and what prey Big Frank was hunting today (pigeons & gulls).   Especially after seeing her carry back a pigeon such a long distance.  Tracy from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation did warn us that we might have a Big Frankie!  🙂

I’ve seen tiercels (males) successfully hunt pigeons, Dot.ca being one of them.  But they don’t usually carry such large prey for long distances.

After leaving Kathy, I headed downtown.  I looked all over, but could not find any falcons.  So, I headed to the pedestrian bridge to check out the gorge.  It was so hot and humid.  Almost unbearable, except for a slight breeze now and then.  I spotted a falcon in the Falcon Sucking Tree facing away from me.  It was Beauty and she was wet.  Probably took a bath in the river water below.

At 1:50 pm, I heard the gulls in front of the High Falls scream.  I looked just in time to see a smaller falcon dive on the gulls and pass in front of the falls.  It turned and steadily gained altitude, flying above me.  At first I thought it might be a juvie, but after checking my flight shots, it was Dot.ca.  Beauty turned for just a moment, watching him fly off and then turned back around, facing the falls.

Dana joined me for awhile.  We watched Beauty continue to preen out her wet feathers.

At 2:18 pm, Beauty left the gorge.  It was time to end my watch.

One more thing.  Yesterday morning, I found Beauty on the gorge wall, enjoying the cooling spray from the High Falls.  It is very difficult to find a falcon there.  Here’s an example of what I saw.  Can you find the falcon in the first picture?  Enjoy!

By Rochester Falcon Watcher MAK

It was a humid 66 (F) 19 (C) degrees when I started out with blue skies and sunshine

Billie and Seth were there on the north end top window ledge of Seneca Towers to greet me this morning. They played a switcheroo on me with Billie at the west end where Seth usually perches and Seth at the east end where she usually stands. He watched as she preened and so I left them to head downtown.

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I pulled over on the Andrews St. bridge to do my usual check of the north side of things and when I looked to the Kodak Office (KO) tower I spotted a falcon flying off the launchpad and going into a stoop down toward the river gorge. I drove down to State and Platt St. in time to see Dot.ca (DC) land on the northeast corner of the playpen netting at just before 7am.

DC turned his back to me facing to the north so I went down to Brown ans State St. to watch him.  A few minutes later while I was taping him Genesee flew in quite vocally and knocked dad off and took his spot. DC flew up to the north side of the east arch then flew across to the south side to face his son.

Genesee spread his wings for balance as he turned around where I could see the front of him while DC looked on and listened to his boy whine practically non-stop.

Be sure to click on all my pics to see the full version

I do believe Genesee is having difficulty keeping himself fed and so comes back home to beg for food from Beauty and DC from time to time. It’s surprising to me, if that’s the case, because he seemed to be more advanced than the rest of the brood from the very start.

Anyway, Genesee flew off to the southeast around 7:10am and returned coming to rest on the KO cupola northeast side then proceeded to walk over to the southeast side where I couldn’t see him. I went down to State and Platt St. to find him.

DC remained on the east arch looking north while Genesee looked south and finally stopped whining. The boy flew off while I was watching DC on my camera screen so I missed his exit. I left for downtown and as I was pulled over on the Court St. bridge to check the east side buildings I spotted Genesee on the base of Mercury.

I then whipped over to the Broad St. bridge to get closer. Genesee spent 5-10 minutes looking around then flew southeast at 7:49am into the horizon until I could no longer see him.

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After searching unsuccessfully for Beauty and Genesee I stopped to check on DC at KO before leaving downtown. He was still on the east side arch but was back on the north side of it as I checked from the south and north side of KO.

As I crossed the Veteran’s Memorial bridge I could see a falcon on the north side top window-probably Seth in his spot. I continued on to the Medley Center where initially there was nobody present. I waited about 10 minutes when Little Big Frank (BF) came flying in from the southwest and landed on the front of the glass peak roof over the carousel. Some pigeons caught his attention below and then he flew off.

BF then landed on the southeast corner of the brick roof down from where he was just perched giving me a very up close and personal view of him.

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He did a little preening and wing stretches but mainly he was looking for a meal and he was also looking very handsome!

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We shared space for about 40 minutes then Big Frank flew off to the north in a big hurry and so I too, flew north to Seneca Towers where I ended my watch at 9:30am.

With the exception of seeing Billie first thing, my watch consisted of all the boys today and they sure did make me smile! 🙂

Click on the links below to view today’s videos

http://youtu.be/DtiiDFgMzkQ

http://youtu.be/wtbzKAz007g

http://youtu.be/GxdkrWefS7M

http://youtu.be/ZKppp-7kd9Q

http://youtu.be/oFONHSiK9to